Closure for collapsible tubes



Nov. 28, 1939; J L H D N 2,181,430

CLOSURE FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Filed May 31, 1939 nvvsurom JOHN LEW/5 H0050.

Patented Nov. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES I 2,181,430' M CLOSURE FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES John Lewis Hudson, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Application May 31, 1939, Serial No. 276,565 Claims. (01. 22140) My invention relates to improvements in closures for collapsible tubes, which are adapted particularly for tooth pastes, face creams and the like. The objects of the invention are to provide 5 a tube which may be incorporated in the conventional screw cap of a tube itself or may be incorporated as an integral part of the tube, which will enable a thin ribbon of paste of uniform width to be extruded as the tube is squeezed. A'

further object is to provide a closure which when incorporated in the tube structure will be so economical to manufacture and assemble that its cost of production will be practically the same as that of the conventional tube with its cork washer and screw cap.

The invention consists essentially of a closure in the form of a spring loaded valve having a rectangular head closing onto a seat formed on one side only of the valve head, as will be more fully described in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a sectional view of a collapsible tube fitted with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken at right angles to Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view looking up at the underside of the valve stem.

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of a modified form of valve locking means.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the modification.

In the drawing like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

The numeral l indicates a collapsible tube having a nipple form, which is bevelled as at 3 on one side of its upper face 4. The nipple 2 is provided with a rectangular axial bore 5 and is provided on one marginal edge with a bevelled seat 6.

Slidably mounted within the bore 5 is a valve generally indicated by the numeral 1, which con sists of a stem 8 having two sides and one rear wall indicated by the numerals 9 and I0 respectively, which define a passage II. The walls 9 and Ill support a head l2 which is preferably bevelled on its underside as at l3 and terminates with a lip [4 which closes upon the seat 6. The lower extremities of the stem walls 9 are provided with tongues l5 which are adapted to be bent outwardly as shown, to support a washer IS. The

valve I is normally held closed by a spring I! surrounding its stem 8 and abutting the underside of the nipple 2 and the upper surface of the washer 16. Should it be desired to lock the valve I in closed position, to prevent inadvertent ex- 2 of substantially cylindrical trusion of paste, I provide a U-shaped wire bail l9 having inturned terminal ends 20 which are sprung into complementary recess 2| formed in the sides of the nipple. By providing loops 22 in the bail l9 extending above the top'of the nipple and beyond its diameter, I provide a flexibility to said bail which permits it to be sprung into locking position with ease.

In the modification shown in Figures 4 and 5, the valve head I2 is locked when desired with a U-shaped bail 25 having inturned legs 26 which are slidable within a pair of horizontal grooves 21 to move into and out of valve head engaging position.

If a locking bail such as l9 or 25 is fitted to the tube when bought, such ball will first be moved away from contact with the valve head [2. Should the purchaser not have further need for any locking device, which is only of value when carrying the tubein a travelling case, it may be easily pried ofi.

To dispense paste from the tube, it suflices to squeeze the'tube, thus forcing the valve off its seat and causing a ribbon of paste to flow between the lip 14 and the seat 6. By virtue of the fact that the seat 6 extends on one side only of the bore 5 and that the ends of the lip M of the head are never entirely raised above the body of the nipple 2, the ribbon formed by the paste in discharging is maintained at a constantwidth and the valve on closing cuts ofi the ribbon of paste, leaving the nipple quite clean and free from adherent paste. It is of course assumed that the tube is held in a substantially horizontal or an inverted position when dispensing paste therefrom.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A closure for collapsible tubes comprising a nipple having a bore through which the contents of the tube are adapted to be expressed, said bore being provided at its outer end and on one side only with a beveled seat; a valve consisting of a vertically grooved rectangular stem slidable in the bore and a head upon the stem, said head being adapted to close the bore of the nipple and being provided with a beveled lip projecting beyond one side of the bore adapted to close against the seat and spring means for closing the valve.

2. A closure for collapsible tubes comprising a nipple having a rectangular bore through which the contents of the tube are adapted to be dispensed, said bore being provided on one side of the rectangle with a bevelled seat, a valve slidable within the bore, said valve having a stem substantially fitting the bore and being substantially U-shaped in cross section and a head upon the stem, said head having a lip adapted to close upon the seat and means for retracting the valve to close it.

3. A closure for collapsible tubes comprising a nipple having a rectangular bore through which the contents of the tube are adapted to be dispensed, said bore being provided on one side of the rectangle with a bevelled seat, a valve slidable within the bore, said valve having a stem formed with side and rear walls substantially fitting the bore, and a head upon the stem, said head having a lip adapted to close about the seat, said walls being provided at their lower ends with tongues, a spring surrounding the lower end of the stem,

a washer at the base of the spring, said tongues being outwardly bent to support the washer upon the stem.

4. A closure for collapsible tubes comprising a nipple having a bore through which the contents of the tube are adapted to be expressed, said bore being provided at its outer end and on one side only with a seat, a valve consisting of a stem slidable in the bore and a head upon the stem, said head being adapted to close the bore of the nipple and being provided with a lip adapted to close against the seat, and spring means for closing the valve, and means carried by the nipple and movable substantially in the plane of the surface of the valve head for locking the valve against opening.

5. A closure for collapsible tubes as claimed in claim 4 wherein the locking means comprises a substantially U-shaped member having inturned terminal ends engaging the nipple and having a pair of loops formed in the U-shaped member.

JOHN LEWIS HUDSON. 

